Power Pros Forum

Sorry for off-topic-ness, but that Sam Dekker shot was Best of the Best on Sportscenter I saw.

I'll go with B. Go downtown

June 1st at 12:45 P.M. through June 1st 1:15 P.M.

I headed down to the bus stop and I found myself in downtown Fort Myers by 1:00. Once there, I did some window shopping, and a sporting goods store caught my eye.

I stepped inside and found myself in a wonderland of everything from basketball hoops to golf clubs. I quickly spotted the baseball section and began browsing. I picked up a bat and swung it around a few times. It felt perfect, the weight distribution was fantastic, and it was just big enough. I looked at the price tag: $200. I wasn't sure if I could afford it, but it was just so amazing. I imagined myself using it in the next game, hitting a walk-off home run, and jump starting my career towards the majors. I looked at it again. It's only $200, right? I thought. This bat could be the difference between being a career minor-leaguer and getting my shot in the show.

DECISION TIME!
A. Buy it
B. Don't buy it but continue browsing
C. Don't buy it and leave the store

General
Mood:
Vitality: 50/100
Money: $4,141

Evaluation
Competition's Coach Eval: 13/100
Competition's Scout Eval: 0/100
Your Coach Eval: 12/100
Scout Eval: 0/100

Abilities
Trajectory: 2 - 50/100
Contact: D(8) - 74/100
Power: F(51) - 11/100
Run Speed: E(6) - 75/100
Arm Strength: E(7) - 70/100
Fielding: F(5) - 40/100
Error Resistance: F(5) - 30/100
Gd Bunt - 25/100

Team Chemistry
21%

I'm gonna go with A. Buy it

June 1st at 1:15 P.M. through June 1st at 2:30 P.M.

You know, I said to myself, I can pay this off, and it'll be well worth it in the end. I went to the register and checked out. They give me a box to put it in while I carried it home, probably so as to not appear to be someone out of Grand Theft Auto, and I exited the store. I hopped on the bus and before long was back to my apartment, where I replaced my current bat with the new one.

DECISION TIME!
A. Take the rest of the day off
B. Kill time until 5:00, then go to work.

General
Mood:
Vitality: 45/100(-5)
Money: $3,931(-$210)

Evaluation
Competition's Coach Eval: 13/100
Competition's Scout Eval: 0/100
Your Coach Eval: 12/100
Scout Eval: 0/100

Abilities
Trajectory: 2 - 50/100
Contact: D(8) - 94/100(+20 from bat, will go away if bat breaks, is lost/stolen, etc.)
Power: F(53) - 11/100(+200 from bat)
Run Speed: E(6) - 75/100
Arm Strength: E(7) - 70/100
Fielding: F(5) - 40/100
Error Resistance: F(5) - 30/100
Gd Bunt - 25/100

Team Chemistry
21%

Also...
Did I mention when the first game was going to be?

I'll go with A, since my vitality's low.

And yep, you did, June 4th.

Friday, June 1st at 2:30 P.M. through 10:15 P.M.

I spent the day doing various activities around the house, playing video games and watching some TV. I was flipping through channels at around 7:30 and realized the Red Sox were probably on, and sure enough they were. I watched the whole game, paying close attention so that I might be able to emulate their performances. In the end, they beat the Blue Jays 2 to 1, and I then headed off to bed, since we had practice in the morning.

------------------------------

General
Mood:
Vitality: 70/100(+25)
Money: $3,931

Evaluation
Competition's Coach Eval: 13/100
Competition's Scout Eval: 0/100
Your Coach Eval: 12/100
Scout Eval: 0/100

Abilities
Trajectory: 2 - 50/100
Contact: D(8) - 97/100(+3)
Power: F(53) - 11/100
Run Speed: E(6) - 75/100
Arm Strength: E(7) - 70/100
Fielding: F(5) - 43/100(+3)
Error Resistance: F(5) - 34/100(+4)
Gd Bunt - 25/100

Team Chemistry
21%

Noice

Saturday, June 2nd at 8:15 A.M. through 9:45 A.M.

I got up the next morning and headed off to practice, which started at 9:00. It was our last practice before our first game on Monday, so after warm-ups, coach announced that we would be scrimmaging. 12 guys, including myself, Scott, Andy Barrett, and Matt West packed up our stuff and switched dugouts, while the other 13 stayed put. Since we were in the away team dugout, we would be hitting first. We quickly threw together a lineup:

1. Grady Jones - CF
2. Justin Epley - 3B
3. Andy Barrett - 1B
4. Mark Kellum - LF
5. Scott Morris - C
6. Jason McAdams - SS
7. Tommy Ford - RF

Realizing we only had 7 position players, we needed one of our pitchers to play second.

"I'll do it," Ian Shaffer, a relief pitcher, volunteered, "I played second base in high school, so I know what I'm doing out there." With that, the final two spots in our lineup were decided:

8. Ian Shaffer - 2B
9. Matt West - P

The other 13 guys ran onto the field and began warming up, while Grady and I headed out onto the field to take some swings. I saw Sam Decker on the mound and my heart began to race. His first warm-up throw was ridiculously fast, and I figured it could only get faster from there.

Soon, Grady, another lefty, was stepping up to the plate. The first pitch was a ball, and on the second one, he squared to bunt. It rolled down the third baseline as he sprinted for first, but it kicked foul at the last minute. Now that the defense was expecting the bunt, Grady was forced to swing away, and he struck out on a 3-2 fastball.

It was my turn. Sam stared me down as I dug in. I thought about how to approach this at-bat.

DECISION TIME!
A. Swing away
B. Be patient, wait for your pitch
- b1. Wait for a fastball
- b2. Sit on the curve
C. Bunt for a base hit
D. Uppercut the ball, trying to hit a home run

---------------------------------

General
Mood:
Vitality: 70/100
Money: $3,931

Evaluation
Competition's Coach Eval: 13/100
Competition's Scout Eval: 0/100
Your Coach Eval: 12/100
Scout Eval: 0/100

Abilities
Trajectory: 2 - 50/100
Contact: D(8) - 97/100
Power: F(53) - 11/100
Run Speed: E(6) - 75/100
Arm Strength: E(7) - 70/100
Fielding: F(5) - 43/100
Error Resistance: F(5) - 34/100
Gd Bunt - 25/100

Team Chemistry
21%

I'll have to go with b1

Sorry about the delay, getting to work on the update right now.

Saturday, June 2nd at 9:45 A.M. through 11:00 A.M.

As Sam wound up, I focused an the bill of his cap, an old technique one of my little league coaches had taught me. When he released, I quickly shifted my focus to the ball, which was hurtling in like a rocket. I took it for a ball high.

Sam threw again, and my eyes lit up. A fastball, right down the middle. I rotated my hips, kept my hands and and the ball leaped off my bat into right field. I took off for first and made it easily as their right fielder fired it in to the cutoff man. A solid base hit.

Sam would eventually pitch out of the inning and didn't allow a hit in the second, either. Matt, however, was putting up a good fight, striking out three and allowing just two base runners in his first couple innings of work. I grounded out to short in my second at-bat, and made a few plays in the field as well. Not much later, it was the top of the 6th inning in a still 0-0 ballgame. Sam had come out to preserve his arm, and David Jensen, whom I hadn't seen much of yet, was pitching.

Ian Shaffer led off the inning with a base hit, and Matt West had bunted him over to second. Grady Jones slapped a ground ball to first, moving Ian to third and giving me a great opportunity to knock in the first run of the game.

DECISION TIME!
A. Be patient and work the count
B. Go after the first strike you see
C. Wait for a fastball and try for a base hit
D. Sit back and wait for a changeup

--------------------------------

General
Mood:
Vitality: 70/100
Money: $3,931

Evaluation
Competition's Coach Eval: 14/100(+1)
Competition's Scout Eval: 0/100
Your Coach Eval: 15/100(+3)
Scout Eval: 0/100

Abilities
Trajectory: 2 - 50/100
Contact: D(9) - 1/100(+4)
Power: F(53) - 11/100
Run Speed: E(6) - 75/100
Arm Strength: E(7) - 70/100
Fielding: F(5) - 44/100(+1)
Error Resistance: F(5) - 35/100(+1)
Gd Bunt - 25/100

Team Chemistry
21%

I'll go with C

Saturday, June 2nd at 11:00 A.M. through Sunday, June 3rd at 9:06 A.M.

David wound up and threw the first two pitches out of the zone, one a fastball and the other a change up. The next pitch was high for my tastes, but it was called a strike. He reached back a fourth time and hurled the 2-1 pitch, a fastball on the inside part of the plate; I swung and made contact.

The ball shot off my bat towards shortstop, where James Glass fielded it on the hop and threw me out at first. I slapped my helmet in disapproval as I headed back to the dugout.

The rest of the scrimmage was uneventful. I slapped another ground ball and was thrown out at first, and our team ended up losing, 2-1, after Thomas Quiroz gave up a 2-run home run to Carlos Alvarez in the 8th. Before we were dismissed, coach called us over for a brief meeting.

"I liked what I saw today," he started, "solid defense, good pitching, and some decent hitting as well. As you know, today was our last practice before our first game. Tomorrow, I want you all to take the day off so you'll be well rested for Monday. I expect to see all of you here by 11:30 so we can get batting practice in. Keep up the good work, boys."

I did various things for the rest of the day, finally heading to bad at around 11:00.

I woke up the next morning a little after 9:00

DECISION TIME!
A. Take the day off, as coach said. (+30 vitality)
B. Practice (-15 vitality, +X to X ability)
C. Throw a party (-30 vitality, +10% team chemistry)

--------------------------------

General
Mood:
Vitality: 60/100(-10)
Money: $3,931

Evaluation
Competition's Coach Eval: 13/100(-1)
Competition's Scout Eval: 0/100
Your Coach Eval: 14/100(-1)
Scout Eval: 0/100

Abilities
Trajectory: 2 - 50/100
Contact: D(9) - 0/100(-1)
Power: F(53) - 1/100(-10)
Run Speed: E(6) - 75/100
Arm Strength: E(7) - 70/100
Fielding: F(5) - 44/100
Error Resistance: F(5) - 36/100(+1)
Gd Bunt - 25/100

Team Chemistry
23%(+2)

I'll go with A